


The Cold

by Historygeek12



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-21 00:31:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Historygeek12/pseuds/Historygeek12
Summary: Toto isn't feeling well, and Niki and Susie need to help him feel better.





	The Cold

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by CustardCreamies who isn't feeling very well. Enjoy.

Toto started to cough uncontrollably, the pain in his throat screaming at him for something warm. He gasped for breath as one of the engineers handed him a bottle of water, which he gratefully took a few gulps from.

“Are you okay?” Pete, Lewis’s engineer asked. They were in the briefing before the race and although Toto had been battling a heavy cold all weekend he was too stubborn to go home.

“Yeah, just my throat…” He sniffed, not wanting to do much talking.

It was the Austrian Grand Prix, his home race. He felt obligated to be here despite in the sense of things, feeling like utter shit. Even Susie had tried to convince him to stay home this morning, especially after she found him throwing up. However, he’d argued with her and here he was, dying in a debrief.

“Why don’t you go and take same paracetamol or get a hot drink?” Lewis suggested. Toto had paled dramatically in the last fifteen minutes.

Toto groaned and slowly stood up, making his way towards the hospitality area. He had a t-shirt on under his white Mercedes shirt, his grey jumper and his Mercedes jacket on top of that, and yet he was still freezing.

He was standing at the coffee machine, waiting on his tea to finish pouring when he sneezed violently, causing some of the guests to jump. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Niki asked, coming over to him.

“I’m fine.” Toto sniffed, his English accent sounding heavily German. “Just a cold.”

“Good.” He patted Toto on the back before heading off, giving the man no sympathy.

The Austrian groaned internally. He regretted his decision to come to the race. He felt awful and wanted to be in bed with a hot water bottle and asleep. Not dosed up on painkillers and walking around a soaking wet race track.

“Interviews Toto. Most stations are live now.” A voice said. “We can skip the English Sky and just talk to C4 if you’re really not feeling great.” Bradley, his press secretary said.

Toto could only nod. He seriously wasn’t in the mood for Sky or any pushy reporters if he was being honest. He quickly drained his cup of tea and took a few more painkillers before following Bradley outside towards the paddock.

He saw Susie standing under an umbrella that Mark was holding, while DC and Steve shared one. They were laughing and seemed to be enjoying the anticipation of the race. “And Toto Wolff joins us.” Steve grinned as the Austrian shuffled on screen and stood beside Susie.

“So, Toto, what are you hoping for today?” DC asked. “A one, two?”

“Both cars finish…. No colliding.” He rasped before coughing again.

Susie frowned and placed her hand on his back. “You’re going to catch pneumonia, you silly man.” She sighed, shaking her head slightly. “I told you to stay at home.”

“And I should have listened to you.” He nodded.

“So, the track looks strong for Mercedes today?” Mark asked again, just so Toto could nod for yes or shake his head for no.

“Will be good.”

“Can we do anything to make you feel better?” DC smirked between the Wolffs.

Toto turned to Susie and looked at her with his red eyes. “Hug?” He asked her, sounding awful and slightly pathetic.

Susie rolled her eyes and handed Mark her microphone before wrapping her arms around her husband. She was slightly concerned when she felt him chittering under his layers of clothing. “You’re really not feeling well, are you?” She whispered.

He shook his head as he buried his head against hers. “Want to go home.”

“Have you talked to the team?”

“I don’t think they’ll let me.” He admitted. He knew the team liked to have him there in case of emergencies, but right now he really just wanted his bed.

“Go inside and keep warm, yeah?” She said softly. “And I’ll catch up with you later.” She said, pulling out of the hug.

Toto nodded and slowly let go of her. He nodded at her colleagues before hurrying off inside. He planned on getting one of the girls to make him a hot chocolate or something to calm his throat down.

*

Niki was sitting at the back of the garage at his monitor, where he and Toto always sat during a race. He frowned as he noticed the absence of his colleague. The cars were literally on their formation lap and Toto was missing. He was going to ask one of the press assistants to go and find him when he saw Toto enter the garage, his jacket still on and a bottle of water in his hand.

“You look like death!” Niki exclaimed as he sat down beside him. “Did a ghost give you a fright or something?”

“Drop it, Niki.” Toto sighed, putting his headphones on. His head was pounding and watching the live timings would make it worse. He seriously wasn’t in the mood for this.

“God, you’re in a grumpy mood today.” He replied.

Toto rolled his eyes, slumping forward to lean on the desk. 50 odd laps and then he could go home. He could do this.

The race started cleanly for Mercedes with Lewis and Valtteri getting away well and distancing themselves to the Ferraris. However, Lewis couldn’t shake off his new teammate and there were mutterings of switching the cars around because Bottas was faster.

Toto was staring at the screen in total confusion as the engineers chatted amongst themselves. “What do you think Toto?” Niki asked, sensing his friend had zoned out, considering he hadn’t said anything during the last ten laps.

The young Austrian turned to face him, the redness in his eyes and his red nose screaming just how rubbish he felt. “I don’t care Niki. I feel like shit and want to go home.” He said before dissolving into a coughing fit.

Niki sighed, and could tell Toto was on the verge of probably passing out. He hadn’t even complained this much when he came to a race with a broken arm, collar bone and shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling good.” Niki said before lifting his arm up.

Toto quickly flopped into Niki’s side, resting his head against the man’s chest as Niki hugged him tightly with his arm, trying to provide him with some warmth.

“Now that is something you don’t see every day…” DC mumbled in commentary. “Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff hugging.”

Mark Webber chuckled. “Clearly the cold has beaten our favourite Austrian.”

Meanwhile, in the garage, Susie had come in after seeing just how bad her husband was. She gently placed her hand on Niki’s shoulder. “I’ll take him back to the motorhome if that’s okay?” She asked, softly.

Niki nodded. “I think he needs the heat.”

Toto didn’t object. He followed Susie towards his office, where she’d put a heater on next to the sofa and plumped a pillow up for him. “And I have a blanket. You need to sleep, sweetheart.” She said, kissing his cheek.

Toto gave her a sleepy smiled as he curled up on the sofa, wrapping the blanket tightly around him. He wasn’t really aware of what was going on anymore. “Danke Liebling.” He whispered, his voice hoarse.

“Sweet dreams.” Susie whispered back, placing a kiss on his head. “I love you.”

The blonde Scot watched her husband for a few minutes as he drifted off. From now on if she told him to stay home she was going to make him listen. She didn’t like seeing him in this state at all. Quietly, she slipped out of the motorhome and back to the garage.

Niki was surprised when she sat down in Toto’s vacant seat and put his headphones on. “If he can do it, so can I.” She smirked and Niki chuckled.

The race ended with a Mercedes one, two and a happy Mercedes team. Susie turned to hug Niki at the end. “They both drove really well.” She grinned.

“They did.” He agreed. “And I want you to replace Toto. You’re calm and don’t worry as much or get angry.” He laughed.

“I’ll tell him that!”

*

A few days later, Susie and Toto were at their home in Austria. Following the race Toto had spent three days in bed after being diagnosed with the flu.

He was sitting up in bed, eating some fruit that Susie had brought him when she re-entered the room. “It’s nice to see some colour back in your face.” She told him, sitting down beside him on the bed.

“It’s nice to feel better.” He admitted. “And I just realised something.”

“And what?” She enquired, looking into his eyes.

“I can’t remember who won the race but I remember Niki hugging me, which was weird. I really must have freaked him out.” He chuckled.

“You did.” She said softly, putting her hand on top of his. “You had us all worried.”

“I’m sorry, Liebling.” He sighed, squeezing her hand. “I love you.”

Susie felt her heart flip when he said those three little words and she knew no matter how stubborn he could be at times, he was perfect. “I love you too, Toto.”


End file.
